What Does Number 1 Mean Ratings are numbers

What Does Number 1 Mean? Ratings are numbers based on polls n Nielson and Arbitron are the two leading radio and television pollsters n Arbitron uses a diary n Nielson places a meter in homes which records television viewing habits n

How Many People Are Polled n n n For the Spokane Metropolitan area, Arbitron sends diaries to about 1500 people. Half are returned. Nielson puts People Meters in about 4, 000 homes throughout the U. S. Is polling accurate? If a good random sample is collected, it can be fairly accurate. (Nielson: plus or minus 3%. )

The Move To People Meters n n n Nielson previously used a device called an audimeter – placed in 1700 homes. Audimeters told what programs the tv sets were tuned to. Family members kept diaries. 1987 replaced with People Meters. Each family member’s viewing monitored electronically. (Used a remote control device to log in) – 4000 homes.

Random Sample n n n Population should reflect universe (community surveyed). There should be no bias factors. Questions/method should be objective, not leading. Survey group size can be relatively small if it’s a good random sample. Margin of error indicates viability of survey (plus/minus 3 is fairly common – higher margin suggests weaker viability)

Television ratings has two basic types: n n Rating – Expressed as a percentage of universe (community surveyed) Share – expressed as a percentage of those in the community watching TV during survey period. Which would be the larger number (all else equal) Share – because it’s the same number as a percentage of a smaller group.

Rating: percentage of universe n n Universe: entire community surveyed (example—Spokane Metropolitan Area – entire population) Assume 100 homes in the community. TVs in 10 homes are tuned into “As The Stomach Turns”. What is the Rating? 10 (not 10%, just 10)

Share-percent of viewers (listeners if radio) Same universe as previous example – 100 homes in community n 20 homes have the TV on. n 10 are tuned in to “As The Stomach Turns”. n What is the SHARE? n 50 (not 50% - just 50) n

USA-has 1000 households with TV. 600 sets are turned on. n n n n 300 sets tuned to “All We Care About is Sex. ” 100 are tuned into “Cops And Guns” 200 are tune to “People Who Think They Are Elvis. ” “Sex” gets what rating? “Cops” gets what rating? “Elvis” gets what share? How many households were tuned into “Cops” if it had a share of 16?

Answers: “Sex” rating: 33. 3 (% of universe) n “Cops” rating: 10 (% of universe) n “Elvis” share: 33. 3 (% of viewers) n “Sex” – total number of households: 96. n

How many hours a day? n http: //www. nielsenmedia. com/news releases/2005/Avg. Hours. Minutes 929 05. pdf

So … how many people watched the Super Bowl? n http: //www. townhall. com/news/ap/ online/entertainment/tv/D 8 FJU 6 DG 0. html

Compare Ratings Show Date Rating MASH 1983 60. 2 Dallas 1980 53. 3 Fugitive 1967 45. 9 Cheers 1993 45. 5 Ed 1964 Sulli van 45. 3 ER 21. 5 Frasier 16. 3 Friends 15. 8 Stark Raving 13. 4 Mon Football 13. 3 Jesse 12. 9 Law & Order 12. 9 60 Minutes 12. 5 Everybody Loves Raymond 12. 2 JAG 11. 8

Top Shows n n n n n 1950 -1951: 1951 -1952: 1952 -1953: 1953 -1954: 1954 -1955: 1955 -1956: 1956 -1957: 1957 -1958: 1958 -1959: 1959 -1960: 1960 -1961: 1961 -1962: 1962 -1963: 1963 -1964: 1964 -1965: 1965 -1966: 1966 -1967: 1967 -1968: 1968 -1969: Texaco Star Theater Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts I Love Lucy The $64, 000 Question I Love Lucy Gunsmoke Wagon Train The Beverly Hillbillies Bonanza The Andy Griffith Show Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In

n n n n n n 1969 -1970: 1970 -1971: 1971 -1972: 1972 -1973: 1973 -1974: 1974 -1975: 1975 -1976: 1976 -1977: 1977 -1978: 1978 -1979: 1979 -1980: 1980 -1981: 1981 -1982: 1982 -1983: 1983 -1984: 1984 -1985: 1985 -1986: 1986 -1987: 1987 -1988: 1988 -1989: 1989 -1990: 1990 -1991: Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In Marcus Welby, M. D. All in the Family All in the Family Happy Days Laverne and Shirley 60 Minutes Dallas Dynasty The Cosby Show (tied with Roseanne) Roseanne Cheers

n n n n 1991 -1992: 1992 -1993: 1993 -1994: 1994 -1995: 1995 -1996: 1996 -1997: 1997 -1998: 1998 -1999: 1999 -2000: 2000 -2001: 2001 -2002: 2002 -2003: 2003 -2004: 2004 -2005: 60 Minutes Home Improvement Seinfeld ER ER Seinfeld ER Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Survivor: The Australian Outback Friends CSI: Crime Scene Investigation American Idol